RWBY Star Wars- A New Hope
by DominionChris
Summary: Star Wars re-imagined. A merging of Canon and Legends with the RWBYverse. The first book in an epic trilogy following the stories heroes on both sides. The Galaxy is in crisis as the evil Galactic Empire brings their Ultimate Weapon the Death Star to bare, and its one Beacon of Hope rests with a Yang Xiao Long and her quest to become a Jedi Knight.
1. Chapter 1

_**First fic, hooray. I was inspired to write this tale based on the art of Lightning-in-my-Hand Star Wars/ RWBY pictures and support from readers like you.  
Proofread by Izlawake, please check out his other stories.  
Enjoy. **_

* * *

_**Rebellion! Striking from their hidden base the Rebel Alliance have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.**_

 _ **During the battle Rebel Agents managed to steal the plans to the Empire's ultimate superweapon the Death Star, a super weapon capable of annihilating a planet.**_

 _ **Pursued by the dark forces Princess Ruby Rose of Alderaan races aboard her starship for safe harbor, courier for the stolen plans she hopes will save the Rebellion and restore hope and freedom to the rest of the Galaxy….**_

The azure hue of hyperspace swirled around the lone Corellian Corvette as it travelled along the hyperlane. It would be almost soothing if it wasn't for the difficult task ahead. The Captain, Raymus Antilles looked over the starcharts of the systems the Tantive IV had just jumped from. Standard procedure in losing Imperial pursuers usually meant three or four hyper jumps, but in this case the Captain had decided six jumps necessary considering the cargo. With a chirrup from navigation the Captain's right wolf ear twitched. "We're coming out of lightspeed," one of the officers called out as the forward view changed from the tunnel of hyperspace to the endless night and a single desert planet ahead, the world of Tatooine.

Though the Captain trusted Senator Rose with his life he had his doubts that this mission was anything more than a wild thranta chase. The Death Star plans had to be sent to Command post haste, but the Senator was convinced the rebellion could use the help of an old Jedi friend as the Senator so eloquently put it. Granted the Captain had heard of those who were called Jedi within the rebellion, he wondered how much was fact as the Jedi were thought to be extinct; wiped out in the aftermath of the last war.

"Helm, take us in. We'll land at…" The Captain was interrupted by klaxons warning the crew another ship had just entered sensor range.

A yell came from the conn, "Imperial Star Destroyer just dropped out of hyperspace."

"My gods," the Captain replied, the Imperials knew they were here. They likely knew the Death Star plans were aboard. "Jump us out of here," the captain ordered as he moved to the tactical display.

Setting navigation to a nearby system the flight officer moved the controls. A pinging came from the console bringing despair to the rest of the bridge. "They're jamming us. We can't escape."

Captain Antilles looked as the Star Destroyer started to close the distance and launch fighters. As it moved something seemed to appear in its wake, an Immobilizer Cruiser. It must've jumped in behind the Destroyer close enough to hide it from sensors. They had only one option left, "Take us into the planet's atmosphere. We'll abandon ship, go underground, find a way to get the Princess and the plans offworld. Set course full burn, gunners to turrets, we can't fight that destroyer, but we can outrun it, just keep those fighters away from the engines, we'll need everything to outrun the Imps."

* * *

Blasts of red and green soared between the two ships as the gap continued to close just over the planet's atmosphere. Despite having the advantage in speed and maneuverability, the Star Destroyer had been able to close in thanks to TIE Fighter attack runs and a few lucky turbolaser shots to the corvette's engines. The corvette shook as the tractor beam took hold of the craft, the main gunners fired futilely trying to hit the tractor beam emitters, but it was already too late as the ship was pulled into the Destroyer's hangar. Alarms sounded warning of the impending incursion as rebel soldiers scrambled into position mentally preparing themselves for the incoming enemy.

A buzzing hum filled the air as a crimson blade pierced the airlock doors and started cutting. The men stood their ground, for those who had seen and survived the monster at Scarif they knew there was no other way, they would fight or die. As the blade finished cutting, it vanished behind the doors which flung open unnaturally a moment later, the metal doors bending into the interior.

A single figure passed through the passage though silhouettes of troopers could be see shuffling behind into formation, but not following. The figure unlike at Scarif appeared to be a man with hair as crimson as his lightsaber blade with two distinct horns marking him as a Faunus. Clad in black robes and his eyes covered by a Grimm mask the figure stood out as an opponent without fear.

Blaster fire erupted towards the lone enemy, who swung his blade upward deflecting each bolt of plasma back at the enemy from which it came. Several shots taking out or ending those who'd fired them. Several soldiers thought about using their Dust weapons, they reconsidered knowing that though they were highly effective, but firing them aboard ships risked severely damaging the vessel and potentially punching a hole in the hull. Blasters on the other hand had a minimal risk of causing a breach.

With a singular motion, the enemy lunged forward rushing head on into the rebel soldiers. There were little the soldiers could to resist as they were cut down. A few pulled out their dust weapons trying to melee, the enemy was just too swift, with rebel troops covering the ground, dead or soon to be. The lone man who'd destroyed a contingent of man looked down at them without mercy his face staying stoic.

"Grand Inquisitor," a stormtrooper stepped forward, "should we…" Holding up his hand the Grand Inquisitor silenced the trooper who moved back. He knew better than to interfere in the Inquisitor's work lest he get in the way and be cut down.

With a swift move, the Grand Inquisitor kicked into the air striking an unseen presence. Forced back against the wall the unseen force decloaked appearing to be a wolf faunus and if the uniform was correct, it was the ship's Captain. At his side appeared to be a sheathed sword, probably a Dust weapon. Captain Antilles reached for his weapon only to be stopped, held up against the wall as if by a strong unseen hand. The Grand Inquisitor moved closer one hand forward as if telekinetically pushing against Antilles' form.

"A Cloak semblance," the Grand Inquisitor stated, almost amused. "Perfect for saboteurs, assassins, and spies. You could have gotten past almost anyone, but not me." Using the Force, he moved the Captain up the wall. "Where are those plans you intercepted?"

"We intercepted no plans," Captain Antilles wanted to spit in the Imp's eye, but knowing it would be futile held back, "we're on a diplomatic miss..."

"You're lying!" The Inquisitor raised his voice, "The Force cuts through all deception." Increasing the chokehold he asked again. "Where are the plans you intercepted?"

There was nothing left for Antilles, his hand struggled to reach for his belt, but instead of going for his weapon he reached for the thermal detonator at his belt. If he was going to die, he was going to take as many Imp bastards to hell with him as he could. He only hoped that Princess Ruby would find a way to escape and get back to the Rebel Alliance. Taking hold of the detonator, he prepared to press the button only to feel the burning blade of an activated lightsaber pass through his chest. With the last of his energy he pressed the button, but was telekinetically tossed several meters before the detonator exploded rocking the ship. The bulkheads held, but were badly burned.

Angered, the Grand Inquisitor turned to his troops, "tear this ship apart until you find those plans. Bring me the passengers, I want them alive." Given their orders the troopers set their blasters on stun and moved forward to secure the ship. If any regiment could find those plans the 303rd 'White Fang' Battalion would. For unlike other Stormtrooper legions, the 303rd were an all Faunus legion under the control of the Inquisitorius.

Looking at the burned section of the hallway and the charred and the now unidentifiable remains of Captain Antilles, the Inquisitor looked closer to find the remains of the sword sheath badly burned and damaged by the explosion, but pulling the weapon out it bore no sign of damage. It had to be made of strong material and seemed to be infused with Dust. Re-sheathing the weapon, he called out motioning with his hands. "Trooper."

"Yes, Grand Inquisitor." A stormtrooper approached, the Grand Inquisitor could hear fear in his voice. Looking at the two antlers sticking out of the helmet he could tell the trooper was a stag faunus and likely one of the newbies to the Battalion.

"See to it that this sword is taken to my quarters, then report back to the Commander." He handed the weapon to the trooper and with a nod the trooper headed off swiftly. With that, the Grand Inquisitor turned back deeper into the ship. His men would be done rounding up the remaining crew and passengers shortly and would then along with Imperial Engineers and Technicians scour the ship and its computers for the plans. He on the other hand had the important job of interrogation. As he headed for the ship's bridge, he remained stoic, for he had a lot of work ahead of him.

* * *

A few corridors away from the action, a ginger-haired android wandered the halls searching for her target, "Ruby." She called out quietly, already hearing blaster fire in the distance. The ship had been boarded and now her mission was critical. The final orders of the Captain. Protect the Princess and safeguard the Death Star plans. Turning the corner, the Prototype Espionage Neural Network Youth android, or Penny as the crew called her, thanks to Ruby, felt the ship rock and the sound of the detonation. The battle couldn't be going well if the Captain had risked using his detonator aboard his own ship. Updating her information, Penny moved faster, if the lines were broken, stormtroopers could be scouring the ship within minutes.

Hearing the familiar buzzes and beeps of an astromech, Penny rushed towards it. If it was ZW-31 then she had a greater likelihood of finding Ruby. Closing the distance, two figures came into view. One the grey and white ZW series droid the other in her scarlet alderaanian cloak the target of her objective, "Ruby!" She called out quietly, almost tackling the Princess in excitement, but her programming stopped her at the last minute. Now was not the time.

"Penny?" Ruby responded to her android companion. "I heard blaster fire. Is everything alright? Has the ship been boarded?"

Taking all the data into consideration and analyzing it Penny gave the best answer she could, "it is highly probable that the situation has turned for the worse. Which is why we must get you to safety."

"No," Ruby replied, if Penny had a heart it would have sunk at her words, but the Princess continued. "I can't leave. If I run, they'll just come after me and eventually obtain the plans." She turned to ZW-31 and then back to Penny. "Perhaps you two can get away. Go to the planet, find the Jedi Qrow Branwen. He is our best chance."

She looked Penny straight in the eye who nodded back understanding. "I won't let you down." In the distance, the three could hear footsteps and they seemed to be heading in this direction fast. Likely Imperial Stormtroopers flooding in to secure the ship. Ruby looked to her two droid companions smiling before running off. A blaster in her hands telling she wouldn't go down easy. Through a series of bleeps and clicks, ZW-31 told Penny to follow him to which Penny nodded. "I will follow."

Moments later and some sections down from where she had come from, Ruby awaited the nearing stormtroopers. As a small squad rounded the corner, Ruby let out several plasma blasts from her blaster pistol. Not nearly as powerful or versatile as her Crescent Rose, but it got the job done as the squad dropped to the floor. More troopers rushed to the scene, she continued to fire, but enemies were approaching on both sides. "Stun her," one of the troopers ordered as multiple stun blasts erupted from the trooper's lines. Ruby tried to dodge, but without a way out, she could only do so much. With paralysis taking effect, the world went black to the young girl.

At the escape pods, the two droids managed to arrive while avoiding the enemy patrols. A few of them seemed like they were being drawn away. Entering the pod after ZW-31, Penny pulled the release switch. The pod jettisoned away, drifting down towards the planet. The Star Destroyer didn't fire on the lone pod, believing it to be a malfunction given that their sensors detected no life signs aboard. Soon the pod would land and then the droid's quest would begin.

* * *

With a loud crash, the pod came to a sudden halt, only lessened by its own maneuvering thrusters. The droids within were a little shaken, but otherwise intact. As the hatch opened to the seemingly endless desert, the two droids exited their pod. A sensor probe drew up from ZW-31's top to scan the surrounding area, and as far as could be told, the two were alone for miles, save for a giant Krayt Dragon skeleton in the distance.

Penny looked down to her companion. "You know what direction we need to go?"

The Astromech whirled with something synonymous to an affirmative revealing to the android that he had a way to track the Jedi, but he wasn't completely sure how. They had several hours of walking ahead of them.

Hours passed with the droids seeing no sign of civilization, and signs of life seemed limited to beasts in the distance and a few small plants here and there. According to ZW-31, they were nearing the target, but would need to go through the Jundland Chasm. Travelling the path down the side of the cliff, the two droids could sense movement, but needed to press on. Halfway down the path, Jawas popped out of small indentures in the rock face. Ion blasts erupted from the Jawas' weapons, to which Penny tried to draw her swords, but the blasts struck, shorting her circuits. She fell over with a loud THUMP . ZW fell as well, and seconds later the small army of Jawas surrounding them, ready to carry their two new treasures back to their Sandcrawler.

* * *

Aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, Ruby finally awakened cuffed and watched by Stormtroopers. Other than the necessary customization for Faunus extremities, like ears, horns, or tails, each trooper looked identical in white armor, and for this legion, they all had a crest on their left breastplate, a Red Wolf's Head with three claw marks behind it. Ruby stared up at the troopers, her silver eyes focused on whatever features she could see.

Motioning his blaster, one of the troopers communicated for her to get up, a horse Faunus, by the look of the ears. Two troopers led her on either side with three flanking her, escorting the Princess to the Grand Inquisitor.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked the man. "You attacked a diplomatic vessel."

"Don't act so surprised, you weren't on any mercy mission. We know transmissions were beamed to this ship by rebel spies. Where are the plans they sent you!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to…" she was cut off.

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor." The Inquisitor pointed a single finger at the girl before pointing it down the corridor. "Take her away!"

As the troopers moved the Princess, the Inquisitor thought of how he'd deal with the insolent whelp properly in an interrogation chamber. A naval officer flanked him, "Grand Inquisitor, we've searched the ship. There are no signs of the Death Star plans aboard. An escape pod was launched, but scans revealed no lifeforms aboard."

Pondering the situation, the Grand Inquisitor replied, "The Death Star plans must have been aboard. Dispatch a squad of troopers to the surface to find that pod. Once we do prepare to jump to hyperspace. Have the Interdictor stay in system until reinforcements arrive and then set course for the Death Star."

* * *

Penny could feel the vibrations as the Sandcrawler moved beneath her. She was hooked up to a battery unit as looked around at what seemed to be dozens of other droids and piles of scrap. Across from her, ZW-31 sat in a similar situation, being recharged. He looked intact and mostly the same, save for what looked like a restraining bolt. Looking down at herself, she found a bolt had likewise been attached to herself. The situation was bad, but at least they were still together.

As the Sandcrawler came to a halt, the doors opened, Droids and Jawas filed out and many of the Jawas motioned the droids out. Lining the droids up organized by type and function like a used speeder salesman, the Jawas prepared for their oncoming customers. Two potential customers approached, the owner of the homestead Taiyang Xiao Long a moisture farmer and his daughter Yang approached. Yang had primarily tagged along to remind her father they needed a droid that speaks Bocce after the last one got destroyed in the last sandstorm.

Taiyang eyed the merchandise, there wasn't much, and most looked beat up, dirty, cannibalized, and reconstructed. Then he came to a droid that looked out of place. Possibly a protocol droid, though its appearance conveyed that the creator was either very lonely or a complete sicko. The lead Jawa made a remark regarding the droid's appearance and possible functions. Tai replied, "I'm not into that. What I really need is a droid that speaks Bocce."

Seeing an opportunity Penny piped up, "I can speak Bocce, along with five thousand forms of communication." That caught the buyer's attention as no other droid seemed to have the capability. _Had to be a protocol droid if it had that capability,_ Tai thought to himself.

Knowing he wasn't going to get any better from this lot, Tai called for his daughter, "Yang, take this droid and one of the astromechs over to the garage and have them cleaned up before dinner."

As Yang approached she replied, "Aw, I was gonna go to Tosche Station to get some power converters."

Tai looked to his daughter. "Oh really, power converters. And you weren't gonna say, hit up that new club? Remember the Anchorhead Incident last month?"

Yang crossed her arms and clenched her fists, "He totally had it coming." The incident of which Tai spoke of involved a fight at a club run by the Cartel. The details of the situation were somewhat unclear, but by the end of the night, over a dozen guards had been beaten up and the club manager had lost more than just his pride. For that, she was banned from Cartel owned facilities.

"You're lucky you only got banned and not a price on your head. We have enough problems without having to worry about bounty hunters or the Cartel." Tai sometimes just didn't know what to do with the girl, he saw a lot of her mother in her. Whether that was a good or bad thing, he'd yet to decide. Setting his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "you can hang with your friends another day, but I need you to take care of these droids tonight."

"Alright," Yang sighed and gave her old man a loving punch in the upper arm. If it hurt, Tai didn't show it. Turning to the astromechs she motioned for one to follow. "Okay c'mon red, you're with me." The red astromech lurched forwards slowly following its new master. Penny looked back at ZW-31, she would find him again...Somehow. They had to complete their mission. Fate intervened when the red mech malfunctioned and burst into flames. Turning around, Yang called out "Dad, looks like this mech's got a busted motivator."

Tai looked to the Jawa Merchant Chief he'd been about to pay, "Hey, what you tryin to pull, selling a bad droid." The Jawa responded in trader tongue with his hands up, indicating he wanted no trouble.

Sensing opportunity Penny pointed to her companion. "That ZW unit is in optimal order. I've worked with him before."

Yang pondered the suggestion of her recent acquisition, "hey dad, what about this ZW droid?"

Tai turned to see the grey droid, "Yes, we'll take that one." Handing the Merchant Chief his payment he watched as Yang took the two new droids to get cleaned up. Within minutes, the Jawas began packing their remaining merchandise into the Sandcrawler. Hearing a beeping from his pocket, Tai pulled out his holocom. _Who could be calling?_ He wondered pressing the answer button.

Picking up a rag off the garage floor, Yang looked at the dusty grey astromech and started dusting it off. The two seemed rather clean compared to the droids the Jawas usually sold, so she figured they couldn't have been with them for long. "You said you two have worked together before. You're too clean to have been on Tatooine for long." In fact, being with the Jawas for more than a day increased the probability that a droid would end up covered in filth and grime. "Spill, you two are ship droids aren't ya?"

The droid, seeing as the girl had already guessed, replied "Affirmative." It wasn't like she was going to give away any rebel secrets by satisfying Yang's curiosity. "Our last assignment was aboard a diplomatic ship." Technically that was true, though the ship they'd served on hadn't done much diplomacy as of late.

"Hmmm," Yang sighed, "I would've tagged you as smuggler droids." A reasonable assumption considering how most smugglers had a gambling problem when it came to Dejarik or Sabacc. From time to time, a cocky rogue would bet their droids or ship if they think they had a good chance to win or a good bluff. Usually it worked in their favor, but when it didn't, it at best left the gambler a bit shorthanded and without anything to ante up; at worst, it left them having to do work planetside either for the Cartel or Mercenary work. "Once this season's over with, I'm gonna sign up with a freighter crew. Travel the Galaxy, go on exciting adventures, meet interesting people." Her eyebrows winced at the latter topic.

Hearing the last part upon entering, Taiyang replied almost sarcastically, "I fear for the Galaxy then." Tai gave a small laugh before moving towards the far wall. "Really, Yang, you have been listening too much to those smuggler and bounty hunter stories. Most ship work is rather mundane and you still have to worry about this year's harvest." He looked to her while grabbing his weapon off the wall.

"Dad," Yang moaned before seeing what he had in his hand. Looking at her father her thoughts moved from complaining to curiosity, "Where are you going?" She asked, knowing her old man well. The sand staff blaster rifle in his hands always communicated that he was heading out.

"Mos Ila," Tai replied, "Just got off the Holo with a farmer up there. He said they're having trouble with a Sand People tribe passing through, and we know what trouble brings crawling to our gates."

"Grimm,"Yang mumbled in response. The Grimm were monsters that roamed the desert and if the stories were true, most planets of the Galaxy with one goal in mind, the destruction of people and droids often drawn to places of great despair or conflict. Most cities and villages were well protected, having walls and turrets to defend against Grimm while farming homesteads had early warning systems and defense droids to survive, though it often meant more droid maintenance than most places. Usually the Cartel or Empire gave protection to farmers for a cut of their product, but that was usually limited to a few droids, which was not enough to hold off an entire tribe of Sand People, but enough to hold off small waves of Grimm or if worse happened, hold up till reinforcements arrived. "If all goes well, I'm only be gone a couple days."

"I should go with you," Yang piped up.

"No, you're too young and besides, I need you here." Tai retorted, pointing to the two new droids.

"I'm not a child anymore!" Yang exclaimed, her eyes turning from her normal lilac shade to red, thanks to her burst of emotion. "I can help."

Tai moved quickly to defuse the situation. "Depending on the tribe, I may be able to resolve things peacefully or I may have to fight. Either way, you being with me would only complicate or escalate matters." Putting his hands on his daughter's shoulders to try to calm her down, "I know you're not a kid anymore; you're a heck of a fighter and could probably kick my ass, but you'd do a lot more for me here. This job requires tact and experience, both things I have and that you'll gain in time." Embracing his daughter in a hug, her eyes turned back to lilac her rage subsiding. Moving back, he revealed to her a pair of keys he'd taken from her pocket. "You still got much to learn. I'm taking your speeder." She frowned, but knew it was sound. Her speeder was faster, and if he was going to reach Mos Ila before nightfall, her speeder was most likely to make it in time.

Yang turned back to her task of cleaning the droids while her father headed off to likely kick butt while she was stuck watching the farm _When am I gonna have my own adventures?_ she thought. Just as she started to check the astromech's main body, she noticed something in one of the processing ports. "What the heck…?"

She began picking at the port trying to see if it could come out when a holo-recording started to play, showing the appearance of a small girl in a red hood. "Help us, Qrow Branwen, you're our only hope." The recording looped a couple more times before shutting down.

"What was that," Yang asked, being a little befuddled by what just happened. "Who was that?"

Penny looked at ZW thinking this was a potential opportunity. As ZW-31 let out a series of bleeps and whistles while Penny translated. "Old data, nothing to worry about. She was a passenger on our last voyage, I think."

Yang raised an eyebrow, her curiosity having peaked. She pondered the name Qrow. _Did she mean the hermit Qrow who lived out in the Jundland wastes?_ "Is there any more of this recording?"

ZW buzzed in response as Penny replied "Yes, but the restraining bolt seems to be interfering with the playback." The droid hiccuped, a tiny glitch in her programing, but otherwise unnoticeable.

Looking over at Penny for a moment, she shrugged the hiccup off as a malfunction for being out in the desert for too long. Turning back to ZW, she grabbed hold of the restraining bolt. "Guess you're too small to make a break for it." With a few turns, the bolt came off, thus freeing the astromech. Before Yang could say anything, a jolt of electricity pulsed through her body, making her pass out onto the floor. Behind her, Penny still had her hand held out, sparks still flying momentarily between fingertips. _This was our best chance, she thought._

As Yang regained consciousness, she shook her head to get over the grogginess. "What hit me?" She asked rhetorically before looking up at the android practically hovering over her.

"You're awake," Penny responded enthusiastically. Looking closer, Yang noticed the restraining bolt removed. She put her hand to her head to try to calm the throbbing pain.

"You stunned me, didn't you?" Yang pointed at the droid.

"Affirmative," Penny replied, "It was necessary."

"Necessary!?" Yang raised her voice almost immediately, regretting it with her throbbing pain. "Necessary for what?"

"Drink this, it should help," Penny replied, handing Yang a bottle of blue milk. "We needed to fulfil our mission."

Yang took a moment to let everything sink in. "You're looking for that Qrow guy, aren't you?"

Penny nodded. "Affirmative. ZW-31 can track him, but I decided to stay behind to ensure you were okay and join up with ZW later."

Looking out the window, Yang saw the twin suns were setting. Night would soon be upon them. "Hope ZW's found Qrow already, otherwise he'll have to be lucky to survive the night." Heading to the wall, Yang pulled a lever activating the farm's early detection system and defense droids. "Night's dangerous out in these parts, only Jawa Sandcrawlers can safely travel at night. In the dark, Grimm have the advantage and sometimes coalesce out of the shadows. Legends even say they're stronger at night. We'll find your friends in the morning, until then I have questions that I think you can answer."

* * *

With his lightsaber and newly acquired blade before him, the Grand Inquisitor sat in meditation channeling the Dark Side. _Hours of interrogation and still the Princess held her tongue. She was strong willed and has yet to give in, but eventually everyone gives in_ , the Inquisitor thought to himself, he just needed to focus.

Behind him the door glided open as a familiar presence entered the room. Wearing vermillion and black armor with a full Grimm mask resembling that of a Nevermore, the form of Darth Raven lingered near the doorway. He had felt her coming from quite a distance away, but had been unsure she was coming for him. "Adam," she called forth a tone of almost concern in her voice.

The Grand Inquisitor was irked by his name, being a reminder of the weakling he once was. Beside Raven and the Empress, no one else knew who he was behind the mask and that was how he preferred. Keeping his face ever stoic he responded. "Master." His tone carried an inquisitive implication as he knew Darth Raven never came to him without reason and usually he was called to her.

"I can feel your anger," Raven moved closer the door closing behind her. "I take it your interrogation didn't go as expected."

Getting up from his meditation position he turned to his master. "She will be broken as all do."

"The girl resisted the interrogator droid. You could break her, but rushing it might destroy her before we get the information we want. The Grand Moff feels a stricter hand is needed." Raven clenched her fist at the end, identifying she'd be the stricter hand and taking over interrogation, "but that's not why I'm here. Tarkin's called a meeting and I want you at my side. Afterwards, I have training for you."

"Training?" The Grand Inquisitor asked, "does this mean…"

Raven nodded, "your Inquisitor training has gotten you this far. You shall learn the ways of the Sith, now kneel before your master." Obeying the command the Grand Inquisitor fell to his knees. "At any one time there can only be two true Sith. A Master to embody power and an Apprentice to crave it. As my apprentice you are not Sith until the Empress or myself are eliminated. Today your path begins. Now rise." Returning to his feet the Grand Inquisitor followed his master as the two left for the warroom.

As the duo entered the meeting chamber, they found the room was filled with a dozen high ranking Imperials. Humans mostly, though the Grand Inquisitor noticed a couple Faunus among them. Most were going over reports or talking among themselves while waiting the meeting to start. Among them, only three he had worked with before. Sitting a few chairs down with his eyes closed was Admiral Hazel Rainart, a seldom vocal but brutal leader that had eliminated more than a dozen rebel cells throughout the Mid Rim, likely resting until the Grand Moff arrived. The other two sat across from each other and seemed to be arguing, Director Arthur Watts of Imperial R&D, and Jacques Schnee, president of both the Atlesian Yards and the Schnee Dust Corporation. Both men had been rivals for years, both vying for the Grand Moff's favor, and with the recent passing of Governor Sukari, it meant both men were candidates for the position over the Atlesian Sector.

"Until this battle station is fully operational, we are vulnerable." Watts pointed at the arrogant Atlesian, "The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped and more dangerous than you realize." Watts had already gone over the battle records for Scarif; no one could have predicted the rebels would strike at such a fortress world and succeed. Director Krennic had underestimated the rebellion and allowed the plans to be stolen and Watts wasn't going to let Krennic's failure be his downfall.

"Dangerous to your starfleet, not to this battle station." Schnee scoffed and retorted. "The rebellion will only continue as long as they have their sanctuary."

Watts pounded his fist in anger knowing he wasn't getting through the fool's thick head. "The rebellion will continue to gain support in the imperial senate!" Watts' tirade cut off by the entrance of Grand Moff Tarkin.

"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us." Tarkin's timing was impeccable, "I have just received word that the Empress has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the old republic have been finally swept away." All eyes jumped to Tarkin, many astonished.

Surprisingly Admiral Rainart was the first to respond to the Grand Moff. "Impossible! How will the Empress maintain control without the bureaucracy?"

"The regional governors now have control over their territories." Tarkin's words were cold and intimidating, "Fear will keep the local systems in line, fear of this battle station."

"And what of the rebellion?" Watts inquired, erring on the side of caution, "If the rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this station, then it is possible––however unlikely–that they might find a weakness and exploit it."

Darth Raven was quick to answer. "The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands."

"Any attack made by the rebels against this station would be a futile gesture, no matter what data they obtained." Schnee's voice seemed to raise by a decibel, "This station is now the ultimate power in the universe!" His tone returned to normal as he clenched his fist slowly. "I suggest we use it."

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed," Raven scoffed at Jacques' thought of power. "The ability to destroy a planet, or even a whole system is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

Schnee rolled his eyes at Raven's remarks. "Don't try to frighten us with your sorcereress' ways Lord Raven. Your devotion to that archaic religion hasn't helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes or given you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels hidden…!" His voice was cut off in more ways than one as he felt a grip around his throat tightening. He instinctively held his hand to his throat trying to loosen the grasp, but nothing was there.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing," Raven quipped, ever so sadisticly, her curled hand raised towards him. Everyone watched in terror and awe.

Tarkin had enough, and while it had shut him up and how he would love to see him choke to death he was still useful. "Enough of this! Raven release him!"

"As you wish," Raven responded, a touch of disappointment in her voice as she lowered her hand, releasing Jacques and allowing him to take in air. Jacques glared at Darth Raven with daggers in his eyes, but he calmed himself.

"This bickering is pointless." Tarkin looked to both Schnee and Watts, "Lord Raven will provide the location of the rebel fortress before this station is operational. We shall then crush the rebellion with one swift stroke." Tarkin turned to Watts. "Now, Director,I believe you have a new project to show us."

Watts almost jumped at Tarkin's response. He rubbed his neck, thankful he had never faced Raven's wrath, and as Schnee returned to his feet he pulled out his dossier and plans. "Yes, Grand Moff, I call the project 'Dark Trooper'."

* * *

As morning came on the desert world of Tatooine, Yang and her droid companion Penny set out in search of ZW-31 using Taiyang's X-34 Landspeeder. The night had seemed longer with Penny's revelations about the Rebellion, how her and ZW had ended up with the Jawas, and their mission to find this Jedi Qrow, whatever a Jedi was. The two could only hope ZW had continued in the direction Penny had last seen him in. The two searched for hours, but the Jundland Wastes were vast and it was possible he could have been captured by Jawas or worse.

In the distance, a shimmer of a metallic reflection caught the attention of Penny's optical sensors, "There!" She cried out, pointing down into the canyon. Yang couldn't see as well as Penny, but this was the first lead the two had in this search. Turning the vehicle onto the nearest pathway down, the two rushed towards the bottom.

As they came within a hundred meters, the two were able to confirm it was indeed ZW, but damaged. His wires leg conduits had been assaulted, but not by firepower or Grimm, but vermin; more precisely womp rats. Yang noticed a few rats, juveniles at about a meter long by the look of em. Pulling out a blaster, Yang fired, killing one and causing the others to flee. She holstered the blaster as more dead rats could attract bigger predators. Penny pulled a repair kit from the landspeeder and headed to work on ZW.

Watching the walls, Yang noticed movement, then an evil squeal ripped through the air as two Boarbatusk Grimm dropped down the canyon walls. "Frell!" Yang cursed before firing several blaster bolts at one. _Why'd it have to be Boarbatusks?_ Yang thought. Any other type of Grimm a dozen clean shots might kill, but Boarbatusk armor was thick and much harder to penetrate without Dust. "Penny! Lend a hand!" Yang cried out.

Finishing a strand of repairs on ZW, Penny rushed over to help her friend, "I'm combat ready!" She declared as Dust-infused swords emerged from her back. She engaged in combat with the closest Grimm while Yang continued firing at its companion. Penny was able to hold hers off, but the other one was quickly closing in. Other than the blaster Yang had, there was only one weapon to fall back on, her Semblance. She'd have to wait for it to hit her, but after that she might have a fighting chance. About halfway between Penny and its target, the Boarbatusk rolled into a spinning wheel of spines. _This was going to hurt,_ she braced herself.

Almost out of nowhere, less than a meter from Yang, something stopped the Boarbatusk as a large sword and swordsman dropped out of the sky, impaling the Grimm. It shrieked as it died and started fading into nothingness. Penny had already dispatched the larger creature with her swords by slashing its underside. Both looked at the man that had fallen from the sky. The man wore a white and grey outfit with bits of crimson sewn in. The man pulled out a flask and took a long swig before turning noticing Yang, "Hey." His voice was grisled and perhaps a little drunk.

ZW beeped a few times and Penny translated. "This is Qrow Branwen?" Penny inquired. The astromech beeped an affirmative.

"Branwen..." Qrow spoke softly, "...Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time." A roar of unholy squeals could be heard in the distance. More Boarbatusks. Yang and Penny looked around to see where the sound was coming from. Qrow, on the other hand, looked into his flask, he shook it. "Empty, typical. I have a homestead nearby, and I think it best we head there. Something tells me you have questions." The trio concurred with Qrow's statement. Picking up ZW, Penny, and Yang quickly placed him in the landspeeder while climbing in themselves while Qrow piled in the passenger seat. The landspeeder rushed forward as Qrow directed them to his home.

The homestead was modest, small, and atop a small plateau. It didn't seem to have any defenses other than the standard siege type style of any homestead. Inside the home, it seemed fairly spartan save for the cluttering of liquor containers. Penny almost immediately moved to continue work on ZW while Qrow started sifting through cabinets. "So you're Taiyang's kid, right?" Qrow inquired placing bottles on the counter.

Yang nodded. "Yeah, name's Yang. How'd you guess?"

Qrow chuckled, "So that's the name Tai gave you. You look so much like your mother, cept for the hair color."

"You knew my mother?" Yang asked curious about what Qrow knew.

"It would be weird if I didn't, since she was my twin sister." Qrow sat down after pouring himself a drink. Yang was shocked by Qrow's disclosure, her mouth agape for a moment. "We were known as the Twin Jedi of Tatooine."

"I never knew my mother, Dad almost never talks about her." Yang watched as her so-called Uncle Qrow downed his drink. "He always told me my mom was a navigator on a Dust freighter. Now you're telling me dad lied and I had an Uncle no one ever told me about..."

Qrow set down his empty glass interrupting. "Don't blame your old man, sure he lied, but on my suggestion. You were young when your mother was taken. We thought it best to keep the truth from you, but now I think you're old enough to know." Pouring himself another drink Qrow started his tale. "Before the dark times, before the Empire, the Jedi Knights were guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic for more than a thousand generations. The Jedi sought to keep balance in the Force by fighting the dark side, by fighting the Grimm. The Great War changed all that, it changed us all. My sister and I fought during the war to save the Republic. She was a cunning warrior, a superb starfighter pilot and my closest friend." After taking a sip from his drink he reached down and grabbed a small case from a nearby shelf. "Your mother wanted you to have this when you were older." The case had a name on the top, Corvus. Opening it Yang picked up the cylindrical hilt inside, pressing a button on the hilt's side the saber sprung to life as blue emanated from the weapon. "Your mother's lightsaber, a weapon of a Jedi Knight. Only truly rivaled in power by Dust infused weapons, but far less clumsy."

Yang swung the saber around, testing it for but a moment. Deactivating the saber she turned to Qrow. "How did my mother die?"

"A young Jedi named Darth Revan, who was a good friend of mine before she turned to evil..." Qrow stopped himself for a moment taking another sip. "...Wait, no, Revan's another dick. I meant to say Darth Raven. Raven was a friend before she was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. She betrayed and murdered your mother, and helped the Empire hunt down many of the remaining Jedi. I barely survived my last encounter with Raven, but I had an important task to do. Safeguarding her legacy."

Yang had to take a moment to let the information sink in. It all sounded so crazy, she looked closer at the saber's hilt, it had a few scars, but otherwise looked like a pristine weapon. For the first time ever she felt closer to her mother. She didn't know what to say. There were still so many questions, she asked the first to come to her. "What is the Force?"

Qrow thought for a moment how best to put it. "The Force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. Surely you know of Semblances?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah, Semblances are the manifestation of a person's Aura, unlocks their soul's innate powers."

"You can think of the Force as a glass of liquid." He set his drink on the table. "A Semblance is just touching the surface; easy to access, but unique for all users, but to a Jedi or any Force-wielder, we are able to tap into it deeper and use more." Qrow picked up and finished his drink to visualize.

A few beeps came from ZW. "Repairs complete. ZW has a message for you," Penny reported. Yang had almost forgotten.

Qrow nodded, setting a hand on ZW. "Let's see what ya got?"

ZW beeped an affirmative and started playing the projection. As before, the girl in the red hood appeared, but this time the message seemed more clear. "General Branwen. My mother told me about the years you served her and the Republic during the Great War long ago. We beg you to help in our struggle against the Empire. Our ship was attacked and my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. ZW-31 holds information vital to the Rebellion's survival and my mother will be able to retrieve it. This is the Alliance's most desperate hour, please see ZW home to my mother on Alderaan safely. Help us, Qrow Branwen, you're our only hope." The message ended and the girl disappeared.

Qrow scratched the back of his head in contemplation. Yang seemed to be in a similar state. "You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with me to Alderaan."

"I can't," Yang replied standing up and heading towards the door. "I can't go to Alderaan, I have to get home, duties to take care of. Dad needs me."

Qrow got up, this time instead of heading for his liquor cabinet, he followed Yang setting a hand on her shoulder. "Tai will be fine, he's tougher than he looks. Besides, I need you, she needs you too. If I encounter Darth Raven again, alone, I don't know how it would turn out."

"I can take you as far as Anchorhead." Yang opened the door and gasped upon seeing billowing smoke in the distance in the direction of her home. "No…!" She cried, rushing for her landspeeder.

Qrow noticed the smoke seconds later and knew it would be pointless to try and stop her. Heading back inside, he grabbed his holocom and looked at the droids. "We're leaving."

Almost half an hour passed before Qrow and the droids arrived on Qrow's speeder bike at what used to be Yang's home. Smoke continued to billow out as the fires died down, the area around littered with the remains of defense droids. Yang stood just meters in front of what used to be the doorway and it was obvious she was crying. "There's nothing you could've done. Be thankful no one was home. Had you been here, you would be lying among the defense droids right now." Qrow commented as he gazed over the burned remains. "I already contacted Tai and told him, he can have my homestead as long as he needs it. Like I said, he's a survivor."

Yang looked at Qrow, wiping her tears away grateful for Qrow's kind words. "Now what?"

Qrow smiled grabbing hold of his flask. "Now we find a cantina."


	2. Chapter 2

First off I want to thank everyone for their patience. I had never expected this chapter would take so long. I had originally hoped to have this out months ago, but writer's block, gaming and life played a role in these delays. I see your comments and it pained me every day that I couldn't publish, especially with my original editor too busy to review for me this time, forcing me to edit myself. I hope you understand. The next few chapters shouldn't take as long and are already planned out. May the Force be with us.

* * *

"Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy," Qrow chuckled overlooking the settlement. "My kind of town."

"Anchorhead's got a spaceport too, why not there?" Yang asked leaning back against the speeder. Mos Eisley was one of the places she and her friends were told by her father to avoid. Anchorhead had its criminal elements, but most of the traffic was civilian or military. Mos Eisley on the other hand was controlled by the Hutt Cartel and practically everything brought through was illegal: Spice, Dust, weapons, slaves, the Empire allowed the Cartel limited autonomy and for a cut of the profits they allowed the Cartel to operate free in Mos Eisley.

"Nothing wrong with Anchorhead, cept the number of imps. Mos Eisley's likely to have a few imps wandering around for appearance sake. Unlikely to attack without provocation, and even if they do there are a lot of thugs with a certain hostility for the Empire just waiting for the right opportunity." Qrow grinned before taking a swig from his flask.

Makes sense, Yang thought to herself. The Cartel tolerated the Empire and vice versa, but their relationship was tenuous at best. Rumor has it the only reason the Empire only let the Cartel stay was due to their hold on much of the Outer Rim economy. As Qrow put away his flask, Yang noticed he didn't have his saber at his side. "So where's your saber?"

"Hidden," Qrow replied. "Lightsabers are very rare weapons and only two types of people carry them: Jedi and those who have killed Jedi, neither of which you want to be identified as. I suggest you do the same." He looked to ZW. "Astromechs have small storage compartments, perfect for hiding your saber."

Yang plucked her saber from her side, and she was annoyed at having just obtained it and now having to hide it. Pointing at Qrow she asked "What about that sword of yours?"

"Dust weapons aren't as rare; mostly used by highly skilled warriors. Difference is just about anyone with training can pick up and use one, but a lightsaber requires discipline and a connection with the Force can help. Those without either risk losing limbs or worse." Qrow moved back into the speeder. "Most Jedi carried Dust weapons for circumstances where a lightsaber just wouldn't cut it."

Yang snickered slightly at the pun. "When will I get my own Dust weapon?"

"In time..." Qrow remarked. "...Perhaps on Alderaan."

Yang grinned as she handed her saber to ZW. After climbing in the speeder, it rushed forward onward to its destination.

As predicted, Mos Eisley had a few Imperial troopers guarding the gates. Four stormtroopers, at least one of them a Faunus–– denoted by the reptilian tail–– assuming he wasn't one of the few honorary nonhumans allowed to serve in the Imperial military.

The troopers stopped the speeder. "How long have you had these droids for?" The lead trooper demanded. He had received orders to be on the lookout for any astromechs in the area recently acquired.

"Three or four seasons," Yang replied.

Qrow responded pointing back, "They're for sale if you want 'em."

"Did you come in from the south?" The trooper further inquired.

"No…We live in the west, near Bestine," Yang lied, hoping the trooper wouldn't inquire further.

"Bestine?" The trooper wasn't buying it. "Let me see your identification."

"You don't need to see her identification." Qrow remarked as he waved his hand. He had had enough with the trooper's inquiries.

"We don't need to see your identification." The trooper replied, seemingly in a trance.

"These aren't the droids you're looking for." Qrow waved his hand again, almost as if he was peering into the trooper's mind. Within a moment the trooper was waving them through and telling them they could move along.

The speeder continued deeper into the town coming to a stop near a building marked as the Sandskiff Cantina. "I can't understand how we got past those troopers? Did you do something?" Yang asked getting out of the speeder.

Qrow nodded as he got out. "The Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded."

Yang grinned. "You gotta teach me that trick."

"In time." Qrow pulled out his flask and took a swig.

"You think we're really gonna find a pilot here that'll take us to Alderaan?"

"It won't be first class, but a good smuggler will get us there, for the right price." Qrow moved for the door, "Watch your step, as this place can get a little rough."

"I'm ready for anything," Yang responded, almost overconfident.

* * *

Near the back of the Starport cantina, a young Corellian smuggler sat nursing a glass of blue milk. He was well within the planet's drinking age, but a promise kept him from partaking. He was deep in thought about his land job. "Ten-thousand credits," he mumbled silently to himself. He looked into his drink almost as if he was expecting it to answer him back. The last job was supposed to be a simple Dust run, but instead he had a run-in with an Imperial patrol and had to drop the cargo in order to escape. Now he awaited his contact, a Cartel Lieutenant Hei Xiong that more commonly went by the nickname Junior, to discuss options of repayment.

A bottle of ale slid across the table as a man with a green mohawk slid opposite the smuggler. This was not Junior. "Long time no see, Jauney boy," He took a long guzzle of his ale, obviously enjoying it.

Jaune looked up at the interloper. "What do you want, Russel?"

"What, can't a guy just drop in on an old friend?" Russel set the bottle down with a grin.

"We're not friends, we worked only one job together." Jaune gritted his teeth. Russel was a pain, but one that could be dealt with.

"But that job was a success." Perhaps to him, it was a success, but in Jaune's mind, the operation had been a disaster.

"Success? My ship was damaged, half my crew nearly died, and for what? A few droids!" Jaune pointed at Russel accusingly.

"Not just any droids Jauney, Czerka destroyers."

"The job was only for six, and you guys stole fourteen."

"Cardin's idea, they were worth tons on the black market." Russel rubbed his fingers together to emphasize the amount of credits each were worth. "Besides, we eventually lost that Trandoshan trash and his weird little sidekick."

"Only cause Nora was able to knock them off the maglev, we're lucky they didn't get our faces." Ren had suggested disguises for the mission and it was lucky as Czerka was likely still looking for the culprits.

Russel leaned in closer. "You still got that feisty little Faunus on your crew?"

"No." Jaune's response was quick. "She left a few weeks back; personal reasons I think." In truth he didn't want to talk about it, the event was still a raw wound to him.

"Eh, probably for the best," Russel commented rubbing his jaw. "The girl had a strong left hook, but she was hot as fu…"

"Enough!" Jaune stood up, ready to slug Russel in the face until he saw that Russel already had his blaster out, pointing at him.

"Tsk tsk." Russel shook his head disapprovingly, pulling his ale closer, "And I thought we were having a civil conversation. Now, to get down to business."

Jaune sat back down, keeping his eyes on the blaster. Russel wanted to talk business and if he needed a blaster, it wasn't going to be something he wanted to hear.

"The boss heard about your problem with Torchwick, so he has a proposition for you." Russel said before finishing his ale.

Jaune clenched his fists. "If Cardin wanted to talk he should have come himself."

"Ain't said nothing about the Captain. Boss wants you to join up. He's had you in mind since you helped him off Kessel."

"Zann," the word came out in almost shock. "You signed up with Tyber Zann."

"Absolutely. He made an offer too good to resist."

Jaune had only met Tyber Zann once during the prison break on Kessel. He thought it was just a normal Spice pickup, but it turned out Zann was his cargo. Zann was infamous, beside Xizor and Torchwick, Zann was among the rising crime lords, except more ambitious and aggressive.

"Thanks, but I think I'll have to decline. I prefer my independence rather than joining one of the syndicates."

Russel raised his blaster. "Not an option. The Consortium is on the rise. The whole underworld will have to chose a side sooner or later. Join the winning team or I'll drag your unconscious hide to Zann myse…"

A blaster bolt roared through the air hitting Russel squarely in the chest, making him drop to the ground. Jaune swung around to see the shooter approaching. "Nora!?" He stammered. "What are you doing here? Why'd you do that?"

"To save you, duh," Nora replied nonchalantly rolling her eyes.

"I had the situation handled."

"He was gonna shoot you, so I shot first."

"You could've hit me."

"But I didn't."

Jaune snatched the blaster from Nora's hand and confirmed it was set to stun, making him sigh in relief; Jaune wasn't one to kill unless absolutely necessary.

"Oopsie," Nora slipped taking her blaster back and resetting it to burn. "Allow me to…" She aimed her blaster at the unconscious Russel, but Jaune stopped her.

"No!" He attempted to grab the blaster from her hands. "We only kill in emergency, last resort. That's how Gramps taught us, remember?"

Jaune was right, and after reevaluating the situation, it was not the mandalorian thing either to shoot an already unconscious man. "Vor'e or'dinii," Nora replied holstering her blaster. Jaune's Mando'a was rusty, but he was pretty sure he'd just been thanked and insulted. Moving closer to her target, Nora snagged the blaster at Russel's belt.

"Must you take a trophy every time?" Jaune commented as she holstered the new blaster opposite her own. "Don't you think you have enough?"

"Not yet," Nora replied returning beside her captain. "It'll take a few more to afford that jetpack." Nora grinned. She was sometimes impulsive and sometimes eccentric, but she had a goal in mind that little could stand in her way.

"So, you heard from Ren yet?" Jaune asked.

Nora nodded. "Yep. Renny called on the holo and he found us a job. Alderaan, if I heard him right."

"Alderaan..." Jaune rubbed his chin. "What's the cargo?"

"Two droids, two passengers." She replied. "Kind of suspicious, if you ask me."

"Suspicious is light. People don't hire smugglers for passenger work."

"Maybe they're wanted."

"Who in Mos Eisley isn't? Still, we need the work. Tell Ren to keep them occupied; I want a face to face before taking the job." Jaune preferred it this way, as it made sure he knew what he was in for, and while Ren is good at finding work and explaining details, it was the Captain's job to seal the deal. "Tell him once my meeting with Junior is done, I'll meet up with him."

"Oh," Nora said pulling out her holo. "Junior's waiting for you in the hangar."

"What!? I told him to meet me in the cantina!"

Nora shrugged, "He had extra guards with him, other than the twins he had a Weequay, a Nikto, and a hunter in Mandalorian armor."

"Great," Jaune sighed, "let's get down there before he impounds my ship."

"What about him?" Nora pointed to the still unconscious Russel. He'd likely be waking up soon.

"Eh, we'll turn him over to Cartel security on our way out. You snag his wallet?"

Nora held up the item in question, and though it didn't look like it had much in it, every credit counts.

"Atta girl." He slung his arm around his crewmate as they headed for the hangar.

* * *

The meeting had gone longer than expected; if Watts and Schnee had stopped their bickering the meeting would've been over twenty minutes ago. The Grand Inquisitor followed his master towards the detention center. Whatever training she had in mind, it likely involved prisoners as victims.

"Despite those blathering fools, the meeting served as a good lesson of what you'll face as my apprentice."

" You wanted to kill Schnee for his insolence. Why did you let the Grand Moff sway you?"

"Tarkin is an old ally, one of only a handful of Imperials that have my respect. As Sith, we rule the Empire, but we cannot rule it alone. A good ally will keep you in check, keep you from rash decisions. In time, you will find an ally of your own, form a powerbase and by then, you will be Sith."

Entering an empty interrogation room, Darth Raven pulled a red & black pyramidal relic from an equipment locker. The Grand Inquisitor could feel the Dark side emitting from it. "A Sith Holocron?" He inquired, drawing closer to the relic.

"Not just any holocron apprentice, this one belonged to the ancient Sith Lord Darth Nox. Few of his holocrons remain. The Jedi of the old republic were keen on hunting down and destroying Sith knowledge." Holding the Holocron before her, she looked to her apprentice. "Open it." She ordered handing over the relic. "Only those strong in the Dark side can open it. Prove yourself worthy."

Still in awe, the Grand Inquisitor took hold of the Holocron. The relic ornately decorated with ancient Sith glyphs felt like he was holding history, something almost sacred. Concentrating the black tips of the holocron started to turn. The relic started pulling apart, expanding with pieces floating in mid air. An apparition appeared in the middle. The image wore light robes and a mask that hid his face. The hologram spoke. "Another student comes seeking power." It turned slightly as if looking around. "Darth Raven, I see you're training a new apprentice. Have you finally overthrown your Master, or are you still scheming?"

"Still scheming," Raven replied. "Apprentice, this the gatekeeper of the Holocron. An artificial intelligence created from the creator's consciousness."

"Darth Nox, Lord of the Sith, heir of Kallig and Tulak Hord, Master of the Dead and of Ancient Secrets. In my day, acolytes went through trials of knowledge and blood to become Sith apprentices. What has this one done to earn that position?"

"Trials," Darth Raven countered, "out of every Inquisitorial class one hundred initiates are tried, only four graduate, the rest..."

"Beast fodder, just like back on Korriban. How many did this one end?" The hologram pointed to the Grand Inquisitor.

"Twenty-two initiates, and since then several rogue Force users."

"Impressive. Still the ability to kill Force users alone does necessarily make one Sith material. To teach him he must first pass my trial."

Raven nodded in agreement. "Proceed."

The hologram turned to the Grand Inquisitor, "recite the Sith Code."

"The strong rule, the weak don't." The Grand Inquisitor replied. It all seemed so simple. Force users ruled the Empire whether the Imperials recognized it or not.

"I had an apprentice like that once, I'm to do to you as I did him." Lightning erupted from the divided holocron sections electrocuting the Grand Inquisitor until he dropped to his knees. "You survived. At least it means you aren't weak. The power of the Sith are not for the weak. Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion I gain strength. Though strength power, though power victory."

"and through victory my chains are broken. The Force shall free me." Darth Raven finished the code.

The hologram looked over at Raven before returning its attention to the Grand Inquisitor, "to be Sith is to be free. While non-Sith may believe themselves to be free it is a lie. Sith dominate over all, but strength alone doesn't give one right to rule. Cunning and ambition are necessary tools. I see in you a blunt instrument of raw potential, time we sharpen it." He turned to Raven, "where should I begin?"

"Force lightning." Raven replied, "for both offensive and interrogation purposes."

Darth Nox would have grinned if the hologram had a face beneath the mask, "my speciality. We'll require a victim for this endeavor, possibly many." A certain amount of glee could be detected in his voice at the opportunity of causing pain, suffering, and most likely death. Raven nodded leaving the room, the prison had plenty of potential victims. "Keep a close eye on your master. She will betray you."

The Grand Inquisitor shook his head, "why would she? Aren't apprentices usually the first to act, to try and overthrow their masters?"

"Under normal circumstances yes, but Raven is training you to take out her master. Just as Darth Zash used me to take out hers, and you are not the only apprentice Raven has had."

Nox's words cut deep piquing the interest of the Grand Inquisitor. "How many?"

* * *

The holonet at the bar blurred as Lisa Lavender reported galactic news. Or at least what the Empire allowed as news. "Like a scene just out of the Great War. Nine hours ago a patrol fleet in the Sluis Van system engaged a fleet of reactivated Separatist ships. With exception of the Decimator, ships suffered only minor damage and are now under repair at the system's shipyards. Former Atlesian General turned rebel leader James Ironwood is believed to be behind the attack and is still at large. Bounty on the General has since his initial defection risen to one hundred-fifty thousand credits dead or alive. In other news…"

Near the back of the Cantina Qrow ordered another drink. As the news changed he shook his head slowly. "So Jimmy's playing with toys again." He sighed silently, he usually didn't pay much attention to GNN, but this one jogged memories, many of them he wished to forget. Yang returned to the table after getting herself a strawberry sunrise. She felt bad for ZW and Penny who'd had to wait with the speeder as the bartender had been adamant about the no droids rule and while Penny might had been able to pass for human she had felt it best to remain with ZW.

At a holoterminal across the room Ren was finishing his conversation with his Captain. Call it intuition, but something in the back of Ren mind had told him to help Qrow. "I'll keep them occupied." Ren replied to his Captain before the holo cut out. Nothing else had yet to pan out and the Nevermores were already circling. Hopefully the black market on Alderaan would have more freelance opportunities than this Dust forsaken planet.

"My captain has agreed to meet with you," Ren answered as he neared his client's booth. "He should be here shortly. He just has some prior business to take care of first." He took his seat opposite Qrow reclaiming the cup of green ooze he called Moogan tea.

What kind of smuggler drinks tea? Yang thought to herself sipping her drink. Come to think about it Ren didn't seem like a typical smuggler. Most smugglers Yang had encountered were dirty, drunk, and often rude, Ren on the other hand seemed clean, stoic, and for the most part civil, though his accent almost screamed Core World Imperial. From what she had seen in the few hours she'd been around Qrow he seemed more the smuggler type than Ren.

"So how long have you been a smuggler?" Yang asked interested, by the looks of him Ren couldn't be much, if any older than her she thought . She'd long considered joining a smuggler crew, but few smugglers ever hired those they considered kids and it wasn't like her father would have let her join up anyways. Now her path was changed, she'd become a Jedi, like Qrow and her mother before her.

Ren scratched his chin thinking for a moment, "close to six years, first mate for almost the last year and a half."

Yang's jaw almost dropped, either Ren was older than she thought or he'd joined his crew when he was only a kid. She could only imagine his Captain had to be different than the normal rabble smugglers usually were to have someone like Ren as a first officer. "What's the rest of your crew like?"

"Unique," Ren was quick to respond. "Captain's an honorable man with a kind head on his shoulders and our chief engineer is an energetic Mandalorian. You can say they're almost family."

Yang blinked, "just two crewmen?" She generally knew most smuggler crews were small, but for some reason she'd expected more.

"There used to be six of us." Ren replied, "one left after our last Captain passed, the other more recently. She was our liaison agent and quite better at handling business negotiations than I am." He scratched the back of his head. He hoped the Captain would arrive sooner rather than later as Qrow was already flagging down a waitress for another drink and Ren had only just noticed the client had five empty glasses in front of him.

"You seem to be doing a fine job so far." Yang chuckled sipping from her drink.

Ren grinned back raising his drink slightly. "You can tell that to my Captain when he arrives." Seconds later Yang followed suit lifting her own glass in an informal toast right as Qrow's sixth drink arrived. A nagging feeling in the back of Ren's mind told him this wouldn't be the last drink Qrow would order.

* * *

"What the heck are you doing to my ship!" Jaune yelled entering the hangar. Junior and his men were already unloading the Crocea Mors. Nora rushed past him and into the ship to make sure they hadn't touched her weapons collection. If they had things would go south faster than lightspeed. As Junior came towards him Jaune could tell he was walking with a small limp. Rumor had it the gangster had gotten into a brawl; with what rumors didn't agree on, a wookie slave, a juvenile krayt dragon, a malfunctioning droid, no two stories matched, though the one that stood out told he was taken out by a teenage girl at one of his clubs. Whatever the truth it had shaken Junior up enough to hire extra security.

"You mean my ship." Junior replied, "Torchwick still wants his money for the Dust job, and your ship barely covers it. You're lucky he's not taking it out of your hide." That was an understatement, they didn't call him Roman the Butcher for nothing. The Cartel wasn't known for tolerating failure and punishment could vary from being enslaved, to torture, or even execution. Independents on the other hand had an option of repayment.

"I still have three days left." Jaune retorted.

"Three days is barely a Kessel job, and you still owe Roman ten-thousand credits." Junior pointed at Jaune berating him. "Even if you could get a Spice run there'd be a bounty on your head before you get back." Junior's words cut like a vibroknife, but they were accurate.

Jaune scowled, a number of his jobs lately had gone afoul ending with either small rewards or unable to be completed. Other than Junior no one in the Cartel were allowed to hire him, not while he still owed Roman money.

Junior looked the boy over, a smuggler with his talent was a useful asset, but the boy's arrogance was going to get him killed. "Look Arc, you're a top of the line smuggler. You do a few side jobs for me starting with my Ryloth delivery and I'll cover your debts."

Jaune folded his arms. "I don't do slaver jobs." That was his one rule, weapons, Spice, Dust, he'd run anything legal or illicit as long as it didn't involve slaves.

"This isn't a slaver job. I've got crates of forty-thousand computer chips I need delivered." A half truth as the circuits were for slave-collars.

"Almost nothing coming from or going to Ryloth doesn't have to do with slavery. Besides my first officer already has a job lined up for Alderaan."

"Alderaan, that's an imperial core world. Barely a decent black market, who'd hire you for a job to there?"

"Not entirely sure yet, but it's peaked my interest." Jaune hadn't yet accepted the job, but he trusted Ren enough to come to the right conclusion before he arrived and it had to be better than whatever work Junior might have wanted his crew to fulfill.

Gazing behind Junior, Jaune noticed Nora exit the ship. Since he'd not heard any blaster fire or the sound of screams of agony it seemed safe to determine no one had lain a finger on her weapon collection. A sigh of relief to be sure.

Junior grimaced, "you're pushing your luck. Even if this job pays off your cutting your deadline pretty close." Junior made sure to emphasize the dead part crossing his finger over the throat. "Roman's not as lenient as I am."

"I just need a little more time." Jaune pulled out Russel's wallet, "pulled this off a Consortium skug which is now sitting in one of your holding cells. You'll get what's owed, I keep my ship, we all win."

"So you got me a little spy to deal with?" Junior grinned, "still not good enough to dent your debts."

"I don't need anything taken off, just time." Jaune replied quickly.

"Understandable, but Roman will require more, so for an extra twenty percent…"

"Fifteen Junior, don't push it."

"Okay fifteen, but I won't be sticking my neck out any further. I'll give you an additional week, ten galactic standard days in total, that's all I can guarantee. Anything further and Torchwick will put a price on your head so big you won't be able to go near a civilized system for the rest of your days."

Ten days, Jaune thought it over. It was better than nothing, "thanks Junior."

"Just get me what's owed." He pointed at Jaune scoffing before motioning to his guards to pull out. For but a moment Jaune noticed the bounty hunter in crimson and gold Mandalorian armor staring at him before moving on to follow her employer.

Jumping down from the ship's landing ramp Nora rushed to her Captain's side. "We should have just broken his legs." She chuckled, though with Jaune it was hard to tell if she was joking.

"I don't have a death wish. Thank you so very much that you didn't act on that whim. So what did you get on that bounty hunter?"

"Not entirely sure yet, but the armor is of house Nikos. I think she was checking you out."

Jaune sighed, "probably looking to see if I've got a bounty price yet. C'mon Ren's waiting."

* * *

A few minutes passed before Darth Raven returned. Two guards behind her escorted in a Sullustan prisoner. The Sullustan was a Black Sun smuggler captured for illegal Dust running and was to be sentenced to the mines of Kessel. Darth Raven on the other hand had other plans in mind for his punishment. The prisoner kept begging in his alien tongue, 'no more. I don't know anything.' The smell of fear was clear as the prisoner was strapped into an interrogation chair.

"Silence before I cut out your tongue." Darth Raven threatened the prisoner who immediately shut up. Turning her attention to her apprentice and the ancient holocron it was clear what to do next. "You have your subject; I expect results." The prisoner watched as Raven stepped back leaving the Grand Inquisitor before him. The prisoner was already beginning to sweat in fear.

"Focus your mind." The Holocron of Darth Nox instructed. "Force lightning requires strength of a sort only a Sith can command. The Force must be broken and made to obey. It must be made to obey your will. Focus your pain, anger, manifest it as energy flowing to your fingertips." The prisoner started to struggle as the Grand Inquisitor raised his hand. Sparks of electricity already jumping between fingers, building up. "Now release!"

Lightning surged striking the target three feet away. The Sullustan screamed as lightning flowed through his body piercing and rupturing organs. The eyes liquified and within seconds the prisoner slumped over dead. The Grand Inquisitor reeled his hands back ending the barrage of force lightning. The power felt incredible, but draining if used too long. Scorch marks dotted the floor marking where extra dispelled energy had struck.

"Impressive." Raven mused, "did you have to fry him so quickly?"

"It would seem he has much raw talent." Darth Nox's hologram replied, "it may take several exercises to fully control this new ability." It was clear what Nox intended. Surviving records showed the real Sith Lord, like most Sith enjoyed the screams and pain of their victims. Even though this Nox was just a holocron, it had the personality and memories of the long dead Dark Lord.

Raven turned to the Grand Inquisitor who was still taking in the results of his handiwork. "Apprentice, how did this kill feel?"

"Exhilarating." The Grand Inquisitor remained looking at his hands as small aftereffect discharges continued to spark. "Like a new side of the force has been opened to me."

"Excellent," Raven turned a nearby locker pulling out a camera droid. "I see no reason why we should stop today. Learn to control your technique, to be able to bring your victim to the verge of death without going over. Every prisoner in the cell block, save for the Princess is yours to break." She looked down at the still active holocron, "and hold on to the Holocron it may be useful in handling your power."

A sinister grin moved across the Grand Inquisitor's face, much blood would soon be shed. As Raven left the room she pulled a second droid out of a security locker, the companion of the hovercam drod she'd given her apprentice. This one a projector droid. She waited as her apprentice cleared a few cells before heading to her objective, the cell belonging to the Alderaanian Princess.

The door slid open as Darth Raven entered the small room. She looked closely at the Princess who'd been staring at her from the second she entered. For the first time Raven noticed the Princess' eyes, Silver. She'd met the Alderaanian Royal Family on a few occasions, but had never taken a close look. No wonder the Inquisitor's interrogations had failed. Silver eyes were an incredibly rare trait, one in a trillion and only found in humans or near human species. Those with the trait had a strong resistance to the Force. Usually found with an unusually strong will and near immunity to torture. The Empress had once told her in ancient times the Sith had used Silver-Eyed Hunters to eliminate Jedi and sometimes rival Sith. Until they turned on their masters and had to be eliminated. Raven wondered for a moment whether this was an omen or an opportunity.

"Your resistance to our interrogators is impressive, but ultimately futile." The droid flew from behind Raven to just in front of the prisoner. "We captured a great many of your crew." A holo jumped up from the droid as it projected the image the other saw. A flash of lightning torrented a rebel soldier in an instant bringing the man to his knees before slumping over dead. Raven could see the terror on the Princess' face. "I have ordered the deaths of your compatriots. Give us the location of the Rebel Base and you can save your crew."

The Princess remained silent for a moment before speaking up. "They wouldn't give up the cause. Why would I? The Rebellion will endure." Her brash nature angered Raven, her emotions well hidden behind her mask.

Before she could do anything two stormtroopers opened the cell doors. "My Lord." The first trooper stuttered, "the Grand Moff would like to see the Princess on the bridge."

"I think he requested your presence too Lord Raven." The second trooper added.

What do you have in mind Tarkin, Raven pondered before answering. "Proceed."

* * *

Jaune's eye twitched in annoyance upon seeing his client, or rather seeing how many drinks he had finished in front of him. Ren often offered free drinks to keep clients talking and weaken their fortitude. Usually four drinks was enough to appease a client, Qrow had twelve before him and a thirteenth in his hand. This job had better be worth it Jaune thought to himself. The look on Ren's face communicated there was nothing he could have done to stop him. Taking a good look at the client Jaune couldn't blame him as Qrow seemed to be an intimidating figure.

As the duo neared closer to the booth Ren stood up, "Captain I'd like to introduce you to our prospective clients Qrow Branwen and Yang Xiao Long."

Jaune gave a closer look, the whole thing seemed suspicious to him, an older man with a young beautiful woman. "You certain?" The question entailed more than said, but Ren would understand and Jaune trusted his judgement.

"Indeed Captain." Ren's words sent an all clear signal that the two seemed good which laid most suspicions to rest.

"Just wanted to be sure." Jaune slid into the booth followed by Nora. Centered between his two crewmates he reached out his hand. "Jaune Arc, Captain of the Crocea Mors. Beside me is Nora Valkyrie my ship's engineer and you've already met my first mate Ren." Beside him Nora gave a small but energetic wave.

Qrow scratched his chin a moment. "Arc… Arc…" He pointed shaking his finger in thought, "any relation to Andronikos Arc?"

Jaune's eyes widened for a second, but before he could reply Nora burst out. "YOU KNEW GRAMPS!"

Qrow sat back in his seat almostly chuckling, "I knew plenty of Arcs in the Great War, Corellia's finest. Granted it's been years, but back when I knew him he was a Republic Navy Captain, before the Empire. How is old Nikki?" Almost as suddenly as he had said it Qrow realized by the look in their eyes and the long silence the answer wasn't a good one. "I shouldn't of asked."

"You couldn't have known." Jaune responded, it was obvious on his face and on those of his two compatriots the subject was still sensitive in their minds.

"As I aforementioned we lost our previous Captain a year and a half ago." Ren looked to both Qrow and Yang. "Out of all the crew I knew him the shortest, but he was no less a parent to us."

"Gramps made us a family. He died bravely like a Mandalorian; with honor." Nora replied thumping her chest armor twice in respect. A common custom in Mandalorian culture.

"Doing what he thought was right. What he always told us what was right" A few tears escaped Jaune's eye which he quickly worked to wipe away.

"I'm sure he did, back when I knew him Nikki was always the heroic type." He shook his head for a moment before taking a drink. "Some things never change it seems."

As the trio reclaimed their composure, some more than others Jaune took it upon himself to return to business. "So Ren tells me you want passage to the Alderaan system. Not exactly a tourist destination like Nar Shaddaa or Corellia. Why would you want to go there?" The Captain had already determined it likely that the two wanted to avoid Imperial Customs or Security the only question that remained was why.

"Planning to see some old war buddies." Qrow swirled the drink in his glass almost reminiscing. "Ones that don't exactly see eye to eye with the Empire. I'd for one prefer to avoid any Imperial…" He scratched his chin for a few seconds looking for the appropriate word. "unpleasantness."

"How fast is your ship anyways?" Yang piped up interrupting the conversation between the two.

"The Crocea Mors can make point five past lightspeed easy." Jaune boasted confidently looking at the young woman, "and she made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."

"Aren't parsecs distance? Shouldn't you use time instead?" Yang inquired wondering if the Captain had made some error.

"In the case of the Kessel Run parsecs are most appropriate." Ren interjected. "An oversight for those who haven't travelled near the Kessel sector. Due to Kessel's proximity to the Maw Cluster it takes an exceptionally fine tuned engines and extraordinary piloting skills to shave off even a few parsecs."

"The Crocea Mors currently holds the record." Nora added grinning. "Spacers take pride in their ship's and skills."

"Point is she's fast, the Crocea Mors has outrun Imperial starships before, and not just the bulk cruisers, I'm talking the big Corellian ones and if fast is what you need she's the one." Jaune looked to Qrow hoping Ren hadn't made an error in bringing him in. "Now that I've told you about our ship, let's talk price. I can get you there for ten thousand credits, upfront of course." Jaune had no intention of charging such an outrageous price, but it would serve as a negotiating factor to ensure he got paid a reasonable amount.

"Ten thousand," Yang almost gasped, "we could almost buy our own ship for that."

"And who would fly it?" Jaune retorted strongly hoping he hadn't overestimated his bargaining tactic.

Before Yang could respond Qrow shot her a look before turning back to the Captain."We can pay you two thousand now, and an extra fifteen once we reach Alderaan."

"Seventeen...thousand…" Jaune stuttered. In all his years he'd never seen anyone up the cost in a negotiation for themselves. He could see the obvious joy on Nora's face and a confident satisfied grin from Ren. It would be enough to cover his debts with extra to spare on Crocea Mors. "You've got yourself a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're ready; docking bay ninety-four."

"Ninety-four," Qrow repeated back finishing off his drink as he stood up.

"We'll see you there shortly." Yang responded giving a slight wink leaving the trio to prepare their ship. "How we going to come up with seventeen thousand credits?" She asked as they exited the Cantina.

Qrow turned to her slightly, "I'm certain my associates on Alderaan will be willing to cover our expenses, but we'll have to sell your landspeeder."

* * *

A message appeared on the screen of the Grand Moff's console, it read. 'Key assets and personnel discreetly evacuated.' A pleased grin came over Tarkin's face knowing any minute the battle station would be dropping out of hyperspace. Alderaan had been a founding world of the Old Republic. Proud, noble, seditious, and soon it would serve as an example to the entire galaxy. A swoosh from the door heralded the new arrivals to the bridge, the captured Alderaanian Princess escorted by two stormtroopers and followed behind by Darth Raven.

"Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you here. I should've recognized your handiwork when I was brought on board." Ruby looked the Grand Moff sternly in the eye. "You're not getting anything out of me."

"Defiant to the last." Tarkin grabbed her chin showing the futility and dire nature of her situation. "You don't know how hard I found it, signing the order to terminate your life." He looked to Darth Raven showing her his satisfied smug look which usually meant the Grand Moff had something planned

"I'm surprised that you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself." If she wasn't handcuffed and guarded she would have decked the vile fiend and if she only had her weapon she would have cut down Tarkin, if only.

"Princess Ruby Rose, before your execution, I'd like you to join me for a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Empress now."

"The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

"Not after we demonstrate the capabilities of this station. In a way you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us the location of the Rebel Base I have chosen to test this stations destructive power on you home planet of Alderaan." Seconds passed and the azure hue of hyperspace vanished giving way to realspace and the planet before them.

"No! Alderaan is peaceful! Our only weapons are for defense against the Grimm, you couldn't possibly…" Ruby begged, Alderaan had two billion innocents, the Empire just couldn't destroy it.

A sinister grin crept over the Grand Moff's visage at the girl's dire plea. "You would prefer another target, a military target? Then name the system!" The impatience was growing in his voice and the Death Star was coming into range of the planet. "I grow tired of asking this so it will be the last time. Where is the rebel base?"

Darth Raven knew from years of experience that Tarkin didn't make empty threats. Whether the Princess gave up the Rebel Base or not Tarkin would still destroy Alderaan. To do otherwise would show weakness, something neither the Grand Moff nor the Empire could afford.

Ruby's eyes darted as she thought, she just couldn't give up the Rebellion, even to save her own people, but she had to say something. "...Dantooine. They're on Dantooine." Dantooine was sparsely populated and did have a rebel base that was by now evacuated. If it could save Alderaan and the Rebellion it would be worth it Ruby hoped in the back of her mind.

"There. You see, Raven, she can be reasonable." Tarkin patted the prisoner's head mockingly before turning to one of his officers. "Continue with the operation; you may fire when ready."

"WHAT?" Ruby practically yelled in shock.

"You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration," he held up a single finger silencing the Princess, "but don't worry; we will deal with your rebel friends soon enough. Alderaan has a thorn in the Empire's side far too long. Time we remove it."

From their stations Imperial officers, engineers, and technicians started pulling the sequence to fire the superlaser. As the seven superlaser beams converged into one exponentially increasing the beam's power. The shot fired striking the planet; shattering it with one huge blast into millions of asteroids. Tarkin gave a proud look seeing the full firepower of his ultimate weapon. It had already been tested on Jedha and Scarif, but this was full planetary destruction. Even Darth Raven stood in admiration of the gall Tarkin had undertaken to destroy a core world. All the Alderaanian Princess could do was fall to her knees, her homeworld, her family, billions of innocents, gone. Tears started to run from her eyes as all and all she could utter was... "No..."


End file.
